2024-2025 Application: "Cohort 99"

With an emphasis on developing liberatory consciousness, Deaconess Foundation's Institute for Black Liberation (the Institute) gives Black leaders in the Metropolitan St. Louis region the opportunity to reckon with and heal from racial trauma and the pervasive effects of internalized and structural racism. The interdisciplinary, intergenerational program will equip participants to create and sustain community change.

The Institute is an eight-month commitment that includes three, one-week (five weekdays each) immersive sessions. Immersive session dates are: (1) Monday, September 16 - Friday, September 20, 2024, (2) Monday, January 27 - Friday, January 31, 2025, and (3) Monday, May 19 - Friday, May 23, 2025. Additionally, there are monthly two-hour group sessions during the months that do not have immersive sessions. Weekly check-ins and office hours are available with instructors. Immersive sessions will be in-person and all others will be online. Due to the limited time the cohort has together and the intensive nature of the work, it is extremely important that selected participants be able to attend all sessions.

Please submit the application below no later than 11:59 pm on Friday, May 24, 2024, to be considered for the new cohort. Applicants will be notified of their status by the first week of July.

To learn more before applying, attend a virtual info session on Thursday, April 11, 2024 from 12-1 p.m. Register here. If you cannot attend the session a recording will be posted.

For more details about the Institute visit deaconess.org/institute. For further questions, email institute@deaconess.org.

Personal Information

Please respond to the following regarding your personal information and background.

First name *

Last name *

Name you go by/preferred name *

Personal pronouns (not required)

Email address *

Phone number *

County of residence *

Zip code *

Will you be age 25 or older by September 16, 2024? *

Yes

No

If employed, current place of employment *

How did you learn about the Institute? *

List no more than five organizations where you self-activate in pursuit (or execution of) Black liberation (include timeframe and any leadership positions). *

Required Responses

Please answer each of the following questions in a maximum of 1,500 words total (or approximately three single-spaced typed pages for all answers). You may decide how many words to use for each question, but we ask that you keep the total words for this section to 1,500 words or less.

If you prefer not to type your responses (or copy and paste from another document) in the boxes below, you may upload your combined responses as one attachment at the bottom of this application before submitting.

What is your understanding of Black liberation?

0/1500 words

How has Blackness impacted your life?

0/1500 words

Who has influenced you on Black liberation and how?

0/1500 words

How do you envision being transformed personally and in your leadership by your participation in the Institute? Where do you see yourself (or the work you envision doing) in the next three years and in your lifetime?

0/1500 words

Selective Responses (Choose One)

Please answer one of the following questions. The total words used in answering your selected question should not exceed 500 words (or approximately one single-spaced typed page).

If you prefer not to type your responses (or copy and paste from another document) in the boxes below, you may upload your combined responses as one attachment at the bottom of this application before submitting.

What do you think the role of faith is in Black liberation?

0/500 words

What do you love about being Black?

0/500 words

What is difficult about being Black?

0/500 words

Attachment (Optional)

If you prefer to upload your responses rather than type in the boxes above, please compile them into one document and upload the document below.